


Secrets in the Basement

by Corveille



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Basement, Blood and Gore, Creepy, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, Elijah Kamski Being an Asshole, Gavin Reed Backstory, Gen, Prompt Fic, Scared Gavin, Trapped, Young Elijah Kamski, Young Gavin Reed, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-05-19 04:23:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19349431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corveille/pseuds/Corveille
Summary: When Gavin starts acting as a little shit to Elijah and his friend Leo, the two make a plan to trap Gavin inside the basement where Elijah usually works on creating androids. Just a small prank to scare his annoying little brother for a few hours with some creepy unfinished models.As Gavin sits there, thinking of ways in which he can make his half-brother pay, he soon realises he's not as "alone" as he first thought.Lonely machines, it seems, do not make for the best company.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kal_No_Comfort_Only_Angst](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kal_No_Comfort_Only_Angst/gifts).



> You all can blame Kal for this one.

"Eli! Elijah you fucking dick! LET ME OUT!" Gavin screams and bangs his fist on the door a few times, hoping against hope to get, if not his half-bastard of a brother's attention, then Rick's. As far as Gavin knows the old man is working on the study right above the basement. Maybe if he does enough of a ruckus, his father will forget about his papers for once and come down to check on him.

 

He’s already given up on ever finding a light switch in this place and his phone ran out of battery long ago, the cheap piece of shit. After a deep breath he screams again and rattles at the door a few more times, before reaching the conclusion that no-one is going to get him out anytime soon. Giving it one last bang in resignation, he turns his back to it and slowly begins to slide to the floor, letting out a short sigh as he goes down. 

 

He hates this stupid basement and it's not just because of childish fears or some stupid nightmare of his youth. The things Eli works on here are legitimately a thing brought out of a horror movie, fucking terrifying to look at.

 

Gavin had only seen one of those androids once as his brother had always been pretty reserved when it came to his “projects”. His fucking brain thought it would be very clever to sneak inside and scare the young genius while he was at work. He got as far as to creak open the door and then, he saw the twitching, moaning machine on his father’s operation table. Limbless, full of wires coming out of it and spreading through the floor by Eli's feet, staining it in a bright blue as his brother played a twisted version of surgeon simulator with it. Least to say his plan failed miserably, the image made his _own_ insides shook with fear. He ran like a coward and vomited his lunch in the bathroom after seeing that, swearing to himself he’d never go back there.

 

At least that was supposed to be the case, until fucking Leo convinced Eli to locked him up because the two were such sore losers.

  
  
“Thank you so much assholes,” he mutters and bumps his head back, closing his eyes. What is he to do here? Make a real life terminator with some of Eli’s toys? 

 

A clank sounding further in the back interrupts his depressing monologue. He jolts and gets back up on his feet with shaky legs. Gavin sees something move in the shadows as two, pin-point yellow lights materialize among the darkness and set solemnly on him.

 

Gavin doesn't wait to know what the fuck those lights are attached to, he slams his body against the door and punches at the metal with all he has, screaming at the top of his lungs. "ELI THIS IS NOT A FUCKING JOKE! LET ME THE FUCK OUT, THERE'S SOMETHING IN HERE WITH ME!" He doesn't dare to look back, but hears something metallic shifting around behind him as the panic already festering in his chest claws painfully at his heart.

 

Eli told him that all the androids would be turned off after he shoved him in here. He clearly remembers how the dipshit laughed as he said that they wouldn't move before leaving when Gavin voiced his concerns. So why the fuck was this one moving then? Why the hell was this one turned _on_?!

 

"ELI PLEASE, I'M NOT FUCKING AROUND GET IN--."

 

**"Eli-i--iii-ja-hhh…."**

 

The distorted noise, meant to be his brother's name, startles him into silence as Gavin realizes it's not coming from behind him but from somewhere to his left. He stupidly tries to fumble with the knob in a last ditch effort to get it to open as his eyes make contact with a head, just a _head_ , sitting on top of a shelf by the door. Some of the plastic meant to protect it is gone, leaving only an estructural network of metallic bars and lose wiring where the rest of a humanoid face should be. One, amber eye stares at him dully from his place. Gavin tries to say something, but what comes out of his mouth can only be described as a pathetic whimper.

 

**"We--l-CcO--mE--Ho--me El-ii-i-jaa-h."**

 

**"We--are--H-a-Aapp--yy-y to--SeE--Y-Ou."**

 

More static fills the room as other androids begin to wake up. Using the poor light that manages to squeeze inside the room from the threshold of the door as help, Gavin watches as at least six pairs of legs creep closer to where he is.

 

**"Eli--."**

 

"I'M NOT FUCKING ELIJAH!" He yells at them, but still hears the strolling of feet and clicking. An awful, loud clicking that doesn't seem to stop. "STAND BACK!" He tries again, voice sounding desperate in his ears. 

 

His back collides with the door and he pales as a multitude of eyes follow his every move. He can see the arm stretching now, trying to reach him and Gavin knows that if he stays by the door he's screwed. He needs to hide but he doesn't know the layouts of the basement, he doesn't live in here and can count with his fingers the number of time he’d come to visit. He doesn’t know where he’s supposed to _go._ Something grabbing at the sleeve of his jacket makes that decision for him. 

 

With a scream he blindly takes his phone out from the pocket of his pants and aims to where he thinks a head is, before throwing it. The small devise hits it’s target and the hand lets go but soon another one is reaching for his other side.

 

**"Ho-m may-weE--plee-pl-ease you?"**

 

"Fuck! No, no, get the fuck off!" His voices trembles as the glowing eyes close in on him, forming a poorly made circle around his curled up form. 

 

It’s only thanks to the scarce light that he sees an opportunity, a small space left between the legs of two androids. He ducks and dashes through it bumping the machines in the process, making them topple to the floor. Something wet lands on his hair and part of his face as he now run blind through what’s left of the basement. It feels oily and thick when his fingertips touch it but he can’t bring himself to ponder about it when he hears footsteps following near.

 

He trips over wires and what he guesses are spare part as the things try to get to him. More of that liquid gets on his clothes as Gavin slams right into another one and feels how the metal digs into his skin. 

 

**“W-e wa-ntt-t to-.”**

  
  
“I don’t care what you fucking want!” Thankfully this one is not coordinated or fast enough to grab him and in seconds he’s free again.

 

But his running does not last forever and after some minutes his breathing becomes raspy as his body tires. No matter how much distance Gavin puts between him and those monsters, the clicking never stops in fact, it only gets louder. It is so intense that at one point his ears ring in agony and he almost breaks his neck as he misses a small step being to busy trying to cover up his ears.

 

His body is shoved forwards by sheer force of gravity and his hands clench clumsily the edge of a table as his knees hit the ground with a dull _thud_. Ignoring the pain running through his shins he crouches and hides underneath it, covering his mouth as he hears moans and the shuffling of metal.

 

The sound of shoves, whines and static all reach his ears. Sweat forms on Gavin’s forehead as they come from all directions. A piercing wails has his heart jumping into his throat, but he does everything to swallow his own whimpers down. 

 

The androids keep moving and shifting for a while.

  
  
And then, they stop.

 

Almost every noise disappears, except for the never ending clicking that’s now sounding like it's coming from right above Gavin.

 

A strong hold on both of his legs yanks him and effectively brings him out from his precarious hiding place. Gavin yelps and his nails scratch at the concrete uselessly. His fingers launch onto the legs of the table, but his own seat makes them slip just as quickly.

 

 The android that got him manhandles him and dumps his body on top of the table, making sure to still keep his legs trapped. Before Gavin can throw in a punch to disorient it, a bright lamp over him is turned on and the sudden light blinds him . He brings his hands up to shield his face, but another arm soon clasps around them and brings them above his head. 

 

“No, no, _no_ \--.”

 

_"Hello."_

 

The cheerful voice that greets Gavin lacks static or any sort of distortion. Despite the high-pitched tone, it's still manages to be just as unnerving as the others. 

 

His eyes finally adjust to the blue light and a short gasp escapes him when he sees what's in front of him.

 

 An android with six limbs, two legs and four arms looks down at Gavin, lower jaw hanging awkwardly from its hinges as it gives a sardonic smile. Its remaining free arm makes that distinctive click as it bends to touch a panel standing near the table. There's no hairs or skin in sight covering its head, only a grey, incomplete chassis with a wires set into a mangled mess. The eyes, just as bright and sickly yellow as the others he'd seen, have that blue liquid leaking from them. 

 

As Gavin follows the drops as they fall, he realizes his clothes are drenched in the same electric blue and he’s can’t stop the sinking thought of that being similar to blood. 

 

It's chest is unfinished, only a few metal ribs the leave the cavity open to see as a weird devise beats wildly inside of it, the movement akin to a beating heart.

 

 _"Are we ready to proceed with the operation?"_ It asks, tone as cheerful as before, and Gavin's own heart thumps against his rib-cage as it's remaining hand comes back up and he gets a perfect view of the scalpel in its hold.

 

"NO! LET ME GO!" Gavin buckles and twists his body around, desperate to get away but the thing just tightens the hold it has on him, to the point he can feel the bones grind against one another. Tears start to dance around his eyelids as his eyes move, trying to find anything that can help him.

 

As he turns to his right he finds the other androids standing in a single transversal line, watching him. Some stare with shattered eyes, others with tubes protruding from their stomach or their back, leaving trails of oil it their awake. All with no plates to hide the metallic endoskeleton stained with speckles of that fucking blue. 

 

But they don't try to get closer, they just stare at Gavin from the edge of that single small step like an expectant audience waiting for a show to start.

 

There are more clicks as the android brings the knife to Gavin’s chest and tears his shirt with a precise cut, right down the middle.

 

"PLEASE, PLEASE STOP I--." He focuses on the letters and numbers branded on the side of the monster that's about to cut him. "--RK100 STOP!" He begs as the tears finally come down.

The android pauses.

 

Stoic eyes blink at him as the small knife is set down and a hand comes to inspect the tears. The android stares at him with a curious look and it’s fingers shed them away, almost gently, cleaning some of the blue blood in the process. Gavin tries to get his face away from it but the hand just jerks his head back, hurting his cheeks as the fake nails dig into his flesh.

 

 _"Elijah, are we ready to proceed with the operation?"_ It asks again, this time more impatient.

 

"I'm not Elijah, please just let me fucking go and I'll bring him here just--."

 

 _"What is your registered name?"_ It cuts in and Gavin hears another series of clicks as it's head tilts to the side, analyzing him.

 

"Ga-Gavin, now get the f-fuck off you freak!"

 

 _"Gavin."_ It smiles, all teeth and no lips, and picks up the medical tool again. Gavin knows at this point he's beyond saving. He watches as the blade glistens under the artificial light and goes for one last weak _please_ as the android’s expression turns pensive.

 

 _"Shall we begin?"_ The android says and slashes the skin of his nose.

 

His pained screams echo through the walls.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is a little epilogue!
> 
> Enjoy more of this hurt I guess.

" _Boom_ take that you asshole!" Leo screams at Elijah as a big, shinning victory message appeared on his side of the screen. He gives a sardonic grin at the other and chuckles at the sour look he gets in response.

"Where is all that brain power now?"

"Whatever," The other says as he drops the controller on his laps, no longer interested in the game. They've been playing for hours and so far Elijah had only defeated Leo two out of the twenty battles they engaged in. He was not all that heart broken about the blatant defeat, if even barely upset at that. The only reason he'd gotten into the game was because Leo asked him to after all.

"You're boring," Leo whines and throws his own controller at him, confident his father will buy him a new one in a blink if the old one breaks on impact. He picks up his beanie and spins it idly in his hand before asking, "hey aren't we forgetting about something?"

Elijah gives Leo a weird look. Before he can open his mouth the door to his room opens as Rick Kamski walks inside, phone held tightly in one hand and a worried look on his aged face.

"Boys, where is Gavin?" And as the man asks that, both teens freeze, realizing at the same time how this was the answer to the previous question. "He was supposed to be back at home two hours ago, did he stay here?" Rick gives them a stern look as Leo shyly turns off the console. With the added noise of the fights gone Elijah can hear the distress voice of Hannah coming from the phone, asking for her son. He glances at Leo, who only stares back at him, dumbly. Neither of them want to tell Rick about their mischievous deed, but sooner or later one needs to give.

Elijah tries to be smart about it.

"Father, you see--."

"Eli locked him in the basement," but alas Leo's stupidity wins in the end.

"You did what?" His father's voice doesn't change, but the glint in his eyes tells just how furious he is.

"It was Leo's idea," Elijah defends himself, earning a sharp jab from the other boy.

"You left your brother alone in a sound-proof room full of the very things he fears. What the--,"Rick glances briefly at the young guest in the room before correcting his words."What were you two thinking?!"

The original idea had been to leave him there for a few minutes, half an hour at most, but that was not good enough of a excuse. To be fair, there was little Elijah could say to appease the man right now.

His father takes long, deep breaths to calm his anger down and turns to Leo. "You, young man are going to stay here," then to him, "and you are helping me find your brother and once he gets out you are going to apologize to him, is that clear?"

"Yes sir." Elijah exits the room first as his father talks to Hannah over the phone, trying to calm her down. Assuring her that her son is okay.

The two go down the stairs leading to the basement door. Elijah stays at the edge to turn on all the lights, including the ones inside his home-made lab while his father goes down and unhooks the set of keys from the hangers . At the turn of the lock, he shoves at the door and calls out for Gavin, but hears no answer. Understandably worried, he watches how the man goes inside and looks around. 

"GAVIN!" Elijah hears the panicked scream and comes down to see what the problem is, already thinking up the image of Gavin curled up in a corner crying. What he finds in much, much worse.

He sees how his father tries to pry open the hands of his RK prototype, meant to assist him during his work with the other androids.

Gavin is laying on the table, sobbing uncontrollably but with no tears left to run down his bloodied cheeks. His shirt is ripped to shreds, revealing cuts all over his body. Some run deeper than others, reaching so far they'll leave ugly scars.  
  
 It seems the android had ran out of power just as it was about to made an incision right in the middle of Gavin's abdomen. The RK's purpose was to keep subjects still and search for the tubes that would help drain the androids, not fully operate on them without his explicit command, how...?  

"GAVIN! SON, TALK TO ME." He hears how his father beg. As soon as Gavin's hands are free he curls around himself, flinching when his father hugs him close.

"Please I want to go home, please stop….I'm not Eli, I'm not," is as far as he can say.

This wasn't right, the androids shouldn't have even been active to begin with. He was sure he set them up to run diagnosis much later in the night. Had he made a mistakes in his calculations? It was not possible for them to turn on by themselves. They were just prototypes with unfinished programs, nothing in them could make them gain such autonomy. How could something like this had happened?

Elijah stares as the sobbing figure that is his little brother but doesn't recognize the frail boy cradled in the strong arms. This is not Gavin just a shell, the remnants of what he used to be, and it is his fault.

"Elijah, what have you done?" His father hisses with anger, no longer trying to keep his composure. Hand threads through the hair of the boy that now grips at his suit, desperate for comfort.

And for the first time, ever since he can remember, he doesn't know how to respond.

He has no answers.

**Author's Note:**

> AKA- How Gavin got his famous scar as well as his hatred and fear of androids. 
> 
> Kal, you beautiful angst monster, stop giving me so many wonderful prompts I can't hold them all >_<.
> 
> \---  
> Come say hi! in [The New ERA](https://discord.gg/GqvNzUm) discord server if you want to talk about more DBH stuff and meet some wonderful writers and artists.


End file.
